The Scout Report - March 5, 1999

The Scout Report

March 5, 1999

A Publication of the Internet Scout Project
Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Scout Report is a weekly publication offering a selection of new and newly discovered Internet resources of interest to researchers and educators. However, everyone is welcome to subscribe to one of the mailing lists (plain text or HTML). Subscription instructions are included at the end of each report.

The Joshua Lederberg Papers [.pdf, Quicktime, RealPlayer, JPG]http://www.profiles.nlm.nih.gov/BB/
The National Library of Medicine has added The Joshua Lederberg Papers to Profiles in Science, a Website dedicated to "the major scientific achievements of the twentieth century" (described in the September 25, 1998 Scout Report). An esteemed American geneticist and microbiologist, Lederberg won the Nobel Prize in 1958 for his work in bacterial genetics. At the site (and in various formats), viewers will find biographical information and short essays on Lederberg's research, as well as links to digitized research documents and photographs. All information (including laboratory notebooks) may be browsed chronologically, alphabetically, or located via a local search engine (by text string). As more Lederberg papers become digitized, they will be added to the site. [LXP][Back to Contents]

Preservation of Library and Archival Materials: A Manual -- NEDCChttp://www.nedcc.org/plam3/manhome.htm
Available for the first time in electronic format, this third edition of Preservation of Library and Archival Materials: A Manual from the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) is a valuable addition to the professional literature for librarians, archivists, and conservators. Founded in 1973, NEDCC is the largest conservation center for paper-based materials in the United States. Since its founding, NEDCC has disseminated preservation information via its series of technical leaflets. The Manual is a compilation of these leaflets, newly revised and updated. The Manual format, consisting of short leaflets with bibliographies, arranged in six browseable sections that can also be searched quickly by subject, is perfect for electronic distribution. [DS][Back to Contents]

The Asian Economic Crisis: Policy Choices, Social Consequences and the Philippine Casehttp://www.asiasociety.org/publications/update_crisis.html
This new Asian Update from the Asia Society (described in the January 2, 1998 Scout Report) features three articles on the Asian economic crisis written by authorities on economic and business development in Asia. As with the other Asian Updates, this latest offering provides valuable and insightful background and analysis on events in Asia for a wide audience, including scholars, students, policy makers, the media, and businesses. In addition to the articles, users will find a bibliography and contact information for a list of specialists in the field. [MD][Back to Contents]

Museums and the Web 1999: Speakers' Papershttp://www.archimuse.com/mw99/speakers/
Museums and the Web 1999 homepagehttp://www.archimuse.com/mw99/
Museums and the Web 1999, an international conference to be held March 11-14, 1999 in New Orleans, promises to address many of the issues that museums are facing as they begin to place exhibits and programming on the Web. Those unable to attend the conference can still benefit from the 50+ presentation and demonstration papers now available on the Web. Some describe individual projects, such as "Beethoven Online" from Germany, while others might answer how-to questions for museums just venturing into the digital realm. Examples of paper topics include "The Use of FileMaker for Museum Databases," "Is the Web a Communication Tool or Digital Disneyland for Art Works?" and "Exploiting the Potential of 3D Navigable Virtual Exhibition Spaces." Abstracts are available for those papers that are not available online in full-text. [AG][Back to Contents]

From Stargazers to Starshipshttp://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Sintro.htm
The International Solar-Terrestrial Physics Science Initiative (ISTP), a collaborative effort by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) of Japan, has recently created this new resource for use in physics and astronomy courses or by other interested users. A sister site to its popular Exploration of the Earth's Magnetosphere site (described in the August 19, 1998 Scout Report for Science and Engineering), Stargazers to Starships explores gravity with three tutorials: exploring the Astronomy of the Earth's motion in space, Newtonian mechanics, and Spaceflight and Spacecraft. Each tutorial is composed of short, individual lessons on key concepts. Additional resources include a glossary, an annotated timeline, and tips for teachers. [MD][Back to Contents]

K-12 Practitioners Home Page - NCEShttp://nces.ed.gov/practitioners/
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has launched a site for K-12 practitioners that summarizes and explains some of the latest educational research findings. Survey data that support these findings, as well as methods used to conduct the surveys are outlined. Teachers, administrators, school support staff, and parents can examine articles in the Research Findings section on topics such as Teacher Job Satisfaction, At-Risk Students, and the Pipeline to Higher Education. This Month's Featured Program currently highlights the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), an integrated set of surveys designed to allow comparison of public and private schools in a variety of areas, and a primary source for many education research articles. Links to additional NCES resources and organizations affiliated with NCES projects are also included. [JR][Back to Contents]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1998_hrp_report/98hrp_report_toc.html
The US State Department released its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices to the US Congress on February 26. Composed from evidence and data gathered by embassy staff, government officials, military sources, human-rights monitors, journalists, and others, the reports are designed to serve as a resource for shaping policy, conducting diplomacy, and determining international resource allocations. Reports are offered for nearly every country, grouped by region. Each report contains a brief overview of the country's political and economic systems and a detailed review of its record on respecting "internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Appendixes include a list of International Human Rights Conventions, the 54th UNHRC (UN Commission on Human Rights) Voting Record, and the text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [MD][Back to Contents]

History On-Linehttp://ihr.sas.ac.uk/search/
This new site from the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) and the ROADS Project is an important resource for historians, especially those working in the UK or studying Britain. Essentially a database of some 30,000 records, searchable categories at the site include: books, journals, and articles published in the UK (some with abstracts); higher education History teachers in the UK; history theses completed in the UK since 1900 as well as theses in progress; and seminars and conferences held at the IHR. Users can also search selected databases by historical theme, place, or period using the Institute's Classification scheme page. The site would benefit immensely from browsing capability and more precision in the current search engines. Also, several databases overlap that are presented as distinct entities. However, the site still has considerable potential as a tool for research and professional communication. [MD][Back to Contents]

New Additions to ERIC Digests Databasehttp://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/index/edo99a.html
ERIC Digests Index Pagehttp://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/index/
The latest quarterly update to the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) Digest database (last described in the September 11, 1998 Scout Report) features 31 full-text short reports aimed at education professionals and the broader education community. Each report includes an overview of an education topic of current interest and offers references for further information. Sample titles include: "Using Primary Sources in the Primary Grades," "Internet Resources for K-8 Students," "Information Literacy: Search Strategies, Tools & Resources," and "Motivation and Middle School Students." Users can search the entire ERIC Digests database from the index page. ERIC, part of the National Library of Education (NLE), is a nationwide education information system sponsored by the US Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI). [MD][Back to Contents]

"Not Part of My Sentence" -- Violations of the Human Rights of Women in Custodyhttp://www.amnesty-usa.org/rightsforall/women/index.html
Released on March 4 as part of its Rights For All campaign on the US, this comprehensive report from Amnesty International documents "violations of the internationally guaranteed human rights of women incarcerated in the United States," including sexual misconduct and abuse by prison officials, mistreatment of pregnant prisoners, and inadequate medical care. As the report reveals, these abuses are occurring amidst a huge increase in the women's prison population, mostly due to sentencing guidelines imposed by recent anti-drug legislation. The report also indicates that the underlying cause of the problem is the large number of male guards in US women's prisons and their unrestricted access to women's cells, which contravenes UN standards. Users can read the full text of the report as well as an overview, stories, and fact sheets at the site. [MD][Back to Contents]

Report of The Special Bid Oversight Commission and USOC Response [MS Word]http://www.usoc.org/
US Olympic Committee Press Conferences [RealPlayer]http://www.broadcast.com/sports/usoc/
On March 1 the five-member ethics panel appointed by the US Olympic Committee (USOC) and led by Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell released a report criticizing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for lacking "accountability and openness" and urging "reform at every level of the Olympic Movement." On March 3 the USOC responded to the report and announced it would enact a number of policy changes recommended in the Mitchell report. These include establishing an Office of Compliance to oversee US bid cities, the provision of full-time USOC staff to help cities during their bid, and a declaration that the USOC would ask the President to designate the IOC as a "public international organization" for purposes of the application of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Users can view transcripts from the March 1 and March 3 press briefings, read the list of policy changes adopted by the USOC, and download the full text of the Mitchell report (.txt or MS Word format) at the USOC site. Broadcast.com has also archived audio recordings of both press conferences in RealPlayer format. [MD][Back to Contents]

Investigating the Impact of the Year 2000 Problem [.pdf, 164p.]http://www.senate.gov/~y2k/documents/report/index.html
Released on March 2 by the US Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem, this report challenges some of the worst-case Y2K scenarios. While Americans can expect some disruptions ("a bump in the road"), the report authors Sens. Robert Bennett and Christopher Dodd claim that there should be no major or long-term breakdown of essential services. However, the report does point out that a number of sectors are lagging behind in Y2K compliance, most notably the health care industry. According to the report, the most serious impact of Y2K will likely occur internationally, and the committee expressed particular concern for the Russian nuclear power and missile systems. Users can download the full text of the report, by chapter, in .pdf format from the site. [MD][Back to Contents]

Guatemala: Memory of Silencehttp://hrdata.aaas.org/ceh/
Established in 1994 as part of the Peace Process in Guatemala, the Guatemalan Historical Clarification Commission (CEH) recently completed its work and forwarded its report to the parties to the Peace Accords and to the Secretary General of the UN. Titled, "Guatemala: Memory of Silence," the report makes disturbing reading, accusing the US-backed military of a host of human rights violations and systematic state terrorism against the Mayan Indian population. While the report concludes that the responsibility for the majority of these violations "reaches the highest levels of the army and successive governments," it still reflects the army's continued power in that it does not name the guilty or call for any trials. However, like the Final Report of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (described in the October 30, 1998 Scout Report), this report is seen by some as both an essential acknowledgement of the truth and as an important step in the political healing process in Guatemala. Provided by the Science and Human Rights Data Center, the first three chapters of the report, an annex (Chronology of the period of armed confrontation), and several maps and charts are currently available at the site in both English and Spanish. The remainder of the report is promised shortly. [MD][Back to Contents]

1998 Compendium of Presidential Statements and Resolutions (unofficial version) -- UN Security Council [WordPerfect, 164p.]http://www.un.org/Docs/comp.htm
The UN has made available for download (WordPerfect format) the full text of all 1998 Security Council Resolutions and Presidential Statements. In addition to the full texts, the Compendium offers chronologies of the Resolutions and Statements, a list of Peace-Keeping Operations Subject to Security Council Action in 1998, and an index. [MD][Back to Contents]

Access America for Seniorshttp://www.seniors.gov/
Text-Onlyhttp://www.seniors.gov/text.html
This new gateway to government information and services for seniors and those who work on their behalf is the product of a government-wide initiative. Users can visit the site to receive an estimate of their Social Security benefits and verify benefits they have received, compare Medicare options, buy stamps and track packages, find federal agencies, or review annotated online resources for a variety of topics. These include Benefits, Health and Nutrition, Consumer Protection, Employment and Volunteer Activities, and Taxes. The agencies affiliated with the site plan to add more services and information on a continuing basis. [MD][Back to Contents]

MoJo Wire Action Atlas on US Arms Saleshttp://motherjones.com/arms/
This new atlas from MojoWire, the online version of Mother Jones, highlights the United States' dominance in the international arms trade, paying special attention to the large-scale expansion in arms sales under the Clinton administration. As the introduction indicates, sales more than doubled in the President's first year in office, and from 1993 to 1997 "the US government sold, approved, or gave away $190 billion in weapons to virtually every nation on earth," often with little regard for the buyer's record on human rights or their involvement in current conflicts. The easy-to-use Atlas offers reports on recent US arms sales to 46 countries, with details on what has been bought, how it has been used, and information on the country's human rights record. Users will also find profiles of the twelve largest US arms exporters; an interactive map of arms customers involved in conflicts or insurgencies, accused of rights violations, or reselling US weapons; and a collection of links and contact information for arms-trade activists. [MD][Back to Contents]

GardenGuideshttp://www.gardenguides.com
Spring is fast upon us, and as the ground thaws many find themselves drooling and pawing their way through seed and plant catalogs. Before ordering their Cosmos, Coreopsis, or carrot seeds, some users, especially beginning or intermediate gardeners, may want to visit this site. GardenGuides offers a sizable collection of basic guide sheets for Annuals, Bulbs, Perennials, Vegetables, and Herbs. Each sheet contains a photo and basic planting and care information. Also included at the site are concise Tips and Techniques on topics such as raised beds, compost, container gardening, starting seeds, and vegetable companions. Both the guide sheets and tips offer links to related resources. Other features of the site include a discussion board and a free email newsletter. [MD][Back to Contents]

Kawa 3.21http://www.tek-tools.com/kawa/index.html
Kawa, published by Tek-Tools, Inc., will make even the most hard-core user of the Microsoft development environment happy switching to Java. Kawa is an integrated development environment whose interface is heavily borrowed from Microsoft's Visual C++ development environment. It does not provide the Java engine and compiler (Sun's JDK is required), but it does wrap the Sun JDK in a relatively easy-to-use environment. Debugging, class browsing, syntax coloring, project management, and many other useful features are supported. For anyone who likes the Microsoft VC++ development environment, Kawa is a very handy product and runs on Win95/98/NT. It may be used freely for 30 days after which time it must be purchased for $59 (lower prices are available for quantity purchases). [CL][Back to Contents]

Sun Releases Source Code for Java 2 Platform [.pdf]http://www.sun.com/software/communitysource/java2/
Last week Sun Microsystems announced that it is releasing the source code for the Java 2 Platform under a "Community Source License." This license allows developers to change the source code for commercial software product development or for sharing with other licensees without charge or mediation from Sun. Those who create derivative products for production use or commercial distribution will still have to pay royalties. Details on the Community Source License and download instructions are provided at the site. [MD][Back to Contents]

"Banana War" Heats Up
EU & WTO Dispute on Bananashttp://europa.eu.int/comm/dg01/banmen.htm
United States Trade Representative (USTR) -- Press Releases March 1999 [.pdf]http://www.ustr.gov/releases/1999/03/index.html
Caribbean Banana Exporters Association -- The WTO Threathttp://www.cbea.org/CBEA/WTO/Default.htm
A six-year trade dispute between the US and the European Union came to a head on Wednesday, when the Clinton administration slapped 100 percent tariffs on about $520 million worth of European exports to the US (with the notable exceptions of wine and Mercedes Benz cars.) The root of the quarrel is Europe's import rules for bananas, which Washington claims favor bananas from former Caribbean colonies over those from Central American companies, many of which are owned by major US firms. Although the amount involved is only a fraction of total European exports to the US, the list of products targeted by the tariffs was carefully crafted to include products from nearly all of the EU's fifteen member countries. While neither the US nor Europe actually produces bananas, US officials reportedly see this move as an important symbolic gesture to demonstrate that the US will retaliate if it believes the EU is not abiding to the letter and spirit of trade rules. For its part, the EU has reacted with surprise and anger, filing a complaint today with the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO will convene an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the dispute. The first site, from the European Commission's Directorate General's office, contains a selection of official statements and resolutions on this dispute, dating back to October 1998. The USTR site currently contains a release on the "customs action" and a final list of the products targeted in HTML and .pdf formats. Users can most likely monitor the site for official briefs on future developments. The Carribean Banana Exporters site has created a special section on the current crisis, with information on the role of the US, the EU trading regime, and the positions of some of the major firms involved. Additional resources for understanding the "Banana War" and international trade can be found in the Scout Report Signpost, the Scout Report's database. These include the Agricultural Trade and Marketing Information Center, the Organization of American States Foreign Trade Information System, and the EU's Trade Statistical Analysis: Principal Products 1997 report. [MD][Back to Contents]

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Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-1999. The Internet Scout Project (http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/), located in the Computer Sciences Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides information about the Internet to the U.S. research and education community under a grant from the National Science Foundation, number NCR-9712163. The Government has certain rights in this material. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the entire Scout Report provided this paragraph, including the copyright notice, is preserved on all copies.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, or the National Science Foundation.

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